Closing sleeve for tunnels of folding curtians

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a method for closing off at least one tunnel ( 2 ) extending across the width of a folding curtain, after a strengthening rod ( 3 ) has been inserted into this tunnel on the one hand, and a folding curtain comprising at least one tunnel ( 2 ) extending across the width of the curtain, which has been provided with a strengthening rod ( 3 ) on the other hand. To that effect, a strengthening rod ( 3 ) is provided in the tunnel ( 2 ) at least one extremity of which is comprising a number of pointed projections ( 4 ) and that the tunnel ( 2 ) is closed off by pricking the said projections ( 4 ) through the wall of the tunnel.

This invention relates to a method for closing off at least one tunnelextending across the width of a folding curtain, after a strengtheningrod has been introduced into this tunnel on the one hand, and a foldingcurtain comprising at least one tunnel extending across the width of thecurtain, which has been provided with a strengthening rod according tothe invention on the other hand.

Folding curtains are often used as a decoration. A usual folding curtainis hanging straight down when it has been lowered completely. In orderto obtain a curtain that is more tightened when it is lowered, thefabric is provided with tunnels that are stitched at different distancesand extend across the full width of the curtain. Then, weightings, theso-called strengthening rods (or baleens) are introduced into the saidtunnels mentioned above.

In order to be able to give the folding curtains a high quality, a fewthings are important:

-   -   tunnels stitched in straight lines;    -   the possibility to remove the strengthening rods (baleens) from        the curtains easily, so that they may be cleaned;    -   strengthening rods ensuring a constant tension, so that the        curtains will get a nice and straight aspect.

In order to make the tunnels perfectly straight, use is made of anautomatic tunnel stitching device.

In order to be able to remove the strengthening rods from the curtainsin a simple manner, it is known to provide an opening, more specificallya buttonhole on the lower side of the tunnel.

However, when a tunnel is provided with a buttonhole by means of theautomatic tunnel stitching device, the following will occur: as thenumber of tunnels of each curtain will increase, the buttonhole willslide upwards when stitching the tunnels, because of which thebuttonhole will be no longer in the lower part of the tunnel but on theupper part, so that it will become visible. This means a decrease inquality of the curtain, therefore no buttonholes may be provided when anautomatic stitching device is used. It is only possible to make theperfect use of this machine if the tunnel is closed by stitching, butthen it becomes impossible to remove the strengthening rods from thecurtain for cleaning purposes.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a method which will make itpossible to manufacture high quality folding curtains where it ispossible to remove the strengthening rods from the curtains in a simplemanner, so that it will be possible to clean them.

The purpose of the invention is attained by providing a method forclosing at least one tunnel extending across the width of a foldingcurtain, after a strengthening rod has been provided in this tunnel, astrengthening rod being provided in the tunnel at least one extremity ofwhich is comprising a number of pointed projections, and the tunnelbeing closed by pricking the said projections through the wall of thetunnel.

By closing a tunnel of a folding curtain in accordance with this method,it will be possible to remove the strengthening rods from the tunnelvery easily.

Preferably, the said projections are provided on an element made ofsynthetic material, for instance. The said element may be manufacturedby means of injection moulding, for instance.

In a preferred method according to the invention, the said projectionsare movable against a spring force. The advantage of this method is thatthe strengthening rods will ensure a constant tension for one thing,because of which the curtains will have a nice and straight aspect. Foranother thing, it will be possible to press the pointed projections, forinstance, by means of a narrow object, thus releasing them from the wallof the tunnel and allowing the strengthening rods to be removed from thetunnel.

In a more preferred method according to the invention, the saidprojections are part of a terminal element provided on the strengtheningrod. More particularly, the said terminal element is carried out in theform of a sleeve provided at the extremity of the strengthening rod.

In a most preferred method according to the invention, the terminalelement is provided with a coiled spring in order to exert a springforce on the said projections.

Another object of the present invention is a folding curtain comprisingat least one tunnel extending across the width of the curtain, which isprovided with a strengthening rod, the said strengthening rod comprisinga number of pointed projections at least at one extremity and the saidprojections pricking through the wall of the tunnel in order to closeoff the tunnel.

Such folding curtains have the advantage that the strengthening rods maybe removed from the tunnel in a simple manner.

In a preferred embodiment of the folding curtain according to theinvention, the said projections are movable against the force of aspring. This makes it possible to press the projections, for instance,by means of a narrow object and, thereby remove the strengthening rodsfrom the tunnel in a simple manner.

In a more preferred embodiment of the folding curtain according to theinvention, the said projections are part of a terminal element providedat the extremity of the strengthening rod.

In a most preferred embodiment of the folding curtain according to theinvention, the said terminal element comprises a sleeve-shaped jacketcontaining a coiled spring and an element provided with the said pointedprojections, and the element being movable against the force of thecoiled spring. Preferably, the said element is made of syntheticmaterial.

By manufacturing folding curtains provided with said terminal element,various advantages are obtained:

-   -   the strengthening rods will ensure a constant tension;    -   the tunnel may be closed without being obliged to close it by        stitching;    -   the automatic tunnel stitching device can be used;    -   no buttonhole has to be provided which means an important gain        of production time.

Furthermore, this invention relates to a strengthening rod for a foldingcurtain, the said strengthening rod comprising a number of pointedprojections at least at one extremity, and the said projections beingprovided to prick through the wall of the tunnel in order to close offthe tunnel. The said strengthening rods of this patent application maybe carried out both in a solid and in a hollow embodiment.

In a preferred embodiment of the strengthening rods according to theinvention, the said projections are part of a terminal element providedon the strengthening rod. Furthermore, the said strengthening rodcomprises a sleeve-shaped jacket containing a coiled spring and anelement provided with the said pointed projections, the element beingmovable, against the force of the coiled spring, from a first to asecond position, the element in its second position being situatedwithin the space surrounded by the sleeve-shaped jacket.

In a most preferred embodiment, the strengthening rod according to theinvention is provided in a folding curtain according to any one of theclaims 6 up to and including 10.

In order to further clarify the properties of the present invention, andto point out its additional advantages and particulars, a more detaileddescription of the method applied and of a folding curtain manufacturedin accordance with this method will now follow. It may be obvious thatnothing in the following description may be interpreted as being arestriction of the protection of the present invention demanded for inthe claims.

In this description, by means of reference numbers, reference is made tothe attached drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a representation of a folding curtain according to theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a detailed drawing of (A), more particularly of the terminalelement;

FIG. 3 is representing another embodiment of a terminal element;

FIG. 4 is a representation of the first (FIG. 4 a) and second positions(FIG. 4 b) of element 8.

A folding curtain (1) as represented in FIG. 1 has systems which aremoving up and down the fabric of the curtain (1), for instance, by meansof cords. They can be operated, as represented in FIG. 1, by a cord orchain system.

By stitching, horizontal tunnels (2) are made in the fabric of thecurtain at regular intervals by means of an automatic stitching device.At one extremity, the tunnels (2) are closed by stitching. Then,elongated strengthening rods (3), which may be made solid or hollow, areinserted into these tunnels (2). They cause the fabric to fold when thecurtain (1) is raised and the folds will cover one another. When lowereda segmented division will show.

The strengthening rods (3), made of glass fibre, for instance, are madesomewhat shorter than the width of the folding curtain (1) and they areprovided with a terminal element (5), at the extremity of the tunnel notclosed by stitching.

As represented in FIG. 2, the terminal element (5) is carried out in theform of a sleeve (6), provided on the extremity of a strengthening rod(3).

The terminal element (5) comprises:

-   -   a sleeve-shaped jacket (6);    -   an element (8) equipped with pointed projections (4);    -   a coiled spring (7) which will render the element (8) movable        against the force of the spring;    -   and, if needed, an additional connecting piece (9).

The sleeve (6), as carried out in FIG. 2, has two openings situatedopposite one another, one opening sliding over the strengthening rod (3)and the other opening being provided with retaining edges. The retainingedges prevent the element (8) from being pushed out of the sleeve (6).In order to be able to move the element (8) against the spring force,the sleeve (6) has likewise been provided with a coiled spring (7).

In another embodiment, represented in FIGS. 3 and 4, where thestrengthening rod (3) has been made hollow, the terminal element (5) isprovided on the hollow strengthening rod (3), by means of a connectingpiece (9) mounted on the sleeve (6).

Therefore, in order to close off a tunnel (2) of a curtain (1) accordingto the method in accordance with the invention, on the side of thetunnel (2) not closed off by stitching, either a terminal element (5) isslid over the strengthening rod (3), or a terminal element (5) is slidinto the hollow strengthening rod by means of a connecting piece (9).Then, the extremity not closed by stitching should be kept somewhatclosed, allowing the pointed projections (4) of the element (8) to prickthrough the wall of the tunnel, thus closing off the tunnel. The element(8) is now situated in its first position (FIG. 4 a).

In order to reopen the tunnel (2), and thus being able to remove thestrengthening rods (3) again, pressing the element (8) by means of anarrow object, for instance, a tooth pick, will suffice. This will bringthe element (8) into its second position (see FIG. 4 b) and theprojections (4) will free themselves from the wall of the tunnel.Because of the force of the spring (7), the terminal element (5) willleave the tunnel (2) and the strengthening rod may be removed again.

Furthermore, the terminal element (5) may be provided with a recess(10), for instance, in the shape of a flat eight, in order to keep theelement (8) in its first or second position. The transition from thesecond, in which the element (8) is situated within the space surroundedby the sleeve-shaped jacket, to the first position occurs by moving thesleeve (6) slightly backwards.

An additional advantage of the terminal element (5) lies in the factthat the spring (7) will maintain a constant pressure on the foldingcurtain.

1. Method for closing off at least one tunnel extending across the widthof a folding curtain, after a strengthening rod has been inserted intothis tunnel, characterized in that a strengthening rod is provided inthe tunnel, comprising at least at one extremity a number of pointedprojections, and in that the tunnel is closed off by pricking the saidprojections through the wall of the tunnel.
 2. Method according to claim1, characterized in that the said projections are movable against theforce of a spring.
 3. Method according to claim 1, characterized in thatthe said projections are part of a terminal element provided on thestrengthening rod.
 4. Method according to claim 3, characterized in thatthe said terminal element is carried out in the form of a sleeveprovided on the extremity of the strengthening rod.
 5. Method accordingto claim 3, characterized in that the terminal element is provided witha coiled spring in order to exert a spring force on the saidprojections.
 6. Folding curtain comprising at least one tunnel extendingacross the width of the curtain, which is provided with a strengtheningrod, characterized in that the said strengthening rod comprises a numberof pointed projections at least at one extremity and in that the saidprojections are pricking through the wall of the tunnel in order toclose off the tunnel.
 7. Folding curtain according to claim 6,characterized in that the said projections are movable against a springforce.
 8. Folding curtain according to claim 6, characterized in thatthe said projections are part of a terminal element provided on thestrengthening rod.
 9. Folding curtain according to claim 8,characterized in that the said terminal element comprises asleeve-shaped jacket containing a coiled spring and an element providedwith the said pointed projections and in that the element is movableagainst the spring force of the coiled spring.
 10. Folding curtainaccording to claim 9, characterized in that the element is provided withpointed projections made of synthetic material.
 11. Strengthening rodfor a folding curtain, characterized in that at least one extremity ofthe said strengthening rod comprises a number of pointed projections andin that the said projections are provided to prick through the wall ofthe tunnel, in order to close off the tunnel.
 12. Strengthening rodaccording to claim 11, characterized in that the said projections arepart of a terminal element provided on the strengthening rod. 13.Strengthening rod according to claim 11, characterized in that the saidstrengthening rod comprises a sleeve-shaped jacket containing a coiledspring and an element provided with the said pointed projections and inthat the element is movable against the spring force of the coiledspring from a first to a second position, the element in its secondposition being situated within the space surrounded by the sleeve-shapedjacket.
 14. Strengthening rod according to claim 11, characterized inthat the said strengthening rod is provided in a folding curtainaccording to any one of the claims 6 up to and including 10.